Go Watch the USWNT even if Alex Morgan isn’t Playing

Posted on by RJ Allen

The USWNT needs roster turnover more than you need to see Alex Morgan score a goal against a team outside of the top 10 in the FIFA rankings.

I understand seeing Alex Morgan or Julie Johnston or Carli Lloyd can improve your experience or make it into a once-in-a-lifetime thing, I really do. But included in the price of your ticket is not the right to get a say in who is in the starting eleven, who is in the 18, or who got called into that camp.

Outside of matches meant to reward or thank fans after a World Cup or Olympics, the games played, even the friendlies, are meant to test new players and check up on more seasoned players. They should matter to the evaluation of the coaching staff for the next major tournament and not be an eleven packed with fan favorites just for the sake of making those fans happy.

Alex Morgan shouldn’t start every single USWNT friendly. Neither should Carli Lloyd. Even Becky Sauerbrunn should be rotated to the bench a few times a year to give other players a chance to grow their experience and for evaluations. Not to mention resting some of your best in some of the less challenging games is a benefit to the players.

And while the chance of seeing Alex Morgan and Julie Johnston and Meghan Klingenberg have remained high in the past, with the newest 24 person roster for the upcoming camp and pair of friendlies, these games will happen without all three being even possible subs.

The USWNT needs to expand the list of names that the coaches are able to look at during the year. It’s even more important in the next two years as they gear up for France in 2019.

Some of the World Cup winning 15ers have retired. More will in the coming months. Some still will be cut. While it’s disheartening at times to see players left out in the cold, it is a necessary evil when it comes to sports.

Rosters aren’t 50 players long. You want some of the great NWSL players to get a shot? Someone has to go.

To all of those who have a friendly in their city and are thinking of not going? Go. Maybe you’ll get to see the first game of the next great USWNT player’s career. Maybe you’ll just see the first game of a player who has waited her whole life for the shot to step on the pitch with three stars above her heart.

Either way? Go to the game. Support the team. Hope in 2019 we have the best 23 the World Cup has ever seen. Your favorites or not.

She Saved Three: Three Thoughts on the Western New York Flash Championship

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Second Coming

In the first part of this decade we saw the raise of a young forward who had speed, grit and something indescribable about her. I don’t quite remember what I thought the first time I saw Alex Morgan play, but I imagine it was something like what I felt watching Lynn Williams’ performance in the post-season this year. Granted, the National and NWSL stages are wildly different in terms of size and impact, but with her play this year Williams has proven that talent is not confined to just the largest platforms.

Watching Lynn Williams play was magnificent. Only her second year in the NWSL, and already she plays as if she was made for the sport, as if she was created to play the kind of soccer that comes with the pressure of being the league’s tops scorer. The pressure?  It doesn’t even seem to register. 

Did she have moments of quiet, long stretches of minutes when she was not the focus of play? Yes, almost all players have those moments in games. And even more in a game situation where both sides played 120+ minutes in their semifinal matches just days before. 

Throughout the 2016 season, Williams and her teammate Jess McDonald formed what might be one of the greatest forward partnerships a player or team could wish for.  Between them, their stats include 21 goals and 12 assists during their 1650 minutes of play (out of a possible 1800). What they were able to do together might be go down in NWSL history as one of the best pairings of all-time, joining the ranks of Holiday/Rodriguez and Fishlock/Little, if, of course, they can keep this up for another season.

I will forward to see what she does when the USWNT jersey is on her back.

A Narrative of Loss

One of the points that members of the Western New York Flash returned to repeatedly over the championship weekend was the fact that their season had initially been discounted by the media.

Paul Riley was frank and amused by it, calling out media reps for it during the pre-game press conference on Saturday. In the post-game press conference, MVP Sabrina D’Angelo noted that the team had adopted that narrative as a sort of inspiration for their season, the chance that they would be able to write their own story because of it. And one Flash player reportedly laughed after the game, saying “They said we’d be ninth!” while celebrating their win.

Being the underdog, and the freedom it gave the Flash in determining their own story, might be why the Western New York Flash won this game. The power that comes from being united together behind a narrative of powerlessness imposed upon them from an outside source might have inspired Lynn Williams to put just a little more reach on her jump when she put the game tying header past Wys in the last seconds of stoppage time. Maybe there is magic in everyone doubting and you and, in believing against all odds you can climb the mountain with a boulder on your back.

Maybe the magic is in hearing the odds being stacked against you, and deciding not to listen.

She Saved Three

I’ve been thinking about the NWSL final for almost a week and that is what I come back to time after time: Sabrina D’Angelo saved three penalty kicks.

And not only did she save three penalty kicks, but she saved two penalty kicks taken by seasoned national team level players Ali Krieger and Diana Matheson. The third against Tori Huster, an NWSL veteran.

This might be one of the greatest penalty kick performances of a goalkeeper at the club level in living memory. She didn’t benefit from players just missing their penalty kicks while she stood in goal. 

She saved them.

It’s said that you depend on your goalkeeper to save one penalty kick and all your players to hit theirs. But Sunday night, D’Angelo did more than anyone could have ever hoped to depend on her for.

And for her performance? She was awarded the 2016 NWSL Championship MVP trophy.

Which, to much amusement, she dropped as she headed into the press conference with Riley and Flash captain Abby Erceg.

But when it counted? When her hands had to be rock solid?

She saved three.

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Around the World of WoSo: NWSL Champions Crowned, Stanford Falls; New Blood for USWNT

Posted on by RJ Allen

Flash Stun Spirit in NWSL Final:

Let’s be real. This game was messy, foul driven, and ended in penalty kicks. Not exactly the dream final between Western New York and Washington that I was hoping for. But the last 45 minutes of action, between the 30 minutes of extra time and then PKs, was highly entertaining.

In the first half we saw two great goals. Washington struck first in the ninth minute when Crystal Dunn found WNY keeper Sabrina D’Angelo in no man’s land and slotted it home for the early lead. WNY were not fazed at all. Less than five minutes later Samantha Mewis fired a shot from distance to grab the equalizer. After those first minutes of excitement, the game turned into a choppy bit of play, with plenty of fouls for each team and no more goals in regulation.

In extra time, Dunn was at it again. Somehow finding herself wide open inside the eighteen, she fired a rocket courtesy of her left foot into the near post. The flash struggled to string passes together for the next 20 minutes, but then a miracle happened. In the 124th minute, Jessica McDonald sent in a hopeful cross than found the head of Lynn Williams, beating two Spirit players and keeper Kelsey Wys to the ball, and it dropped in the back of the net. An incredible moment that gave me instant flashbacks to the 2011 Women’s World Cup semifinal between USA and Brazil, when Megan Rapinoe found Abby Wambach’s head in the box to level the score in the 122nd minute, pulling of the seemingly impossible.

This moment wasn’t quite as momentous, but it had the same feeling of improbability and was fun to watch unfold. One minute later (literally), the whistle blows. I’d have to imagine it’s a cringing reminder that the Spirit had the championship in their hands. In penalty kicks, WNY keeper D’Angelo made three saves on Ali Krieger, Diana Matheson, and Tori Huster to secure the title for the Flash. An incredible outcome that I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted. In front of 8,255 fans—many of whom were supporting Washington—WNY managed to shock everyone. Quite a determined performance to take the NWSL world by surprise.

Anson Dorrance Reaches Milestone at UNC:

North Carolina has been a powerhouse from the second the program began in 1979. That was the first year of Dorrance’s tenure as well, and he’s never slowed down in his 37 years in charge.  A few days ago, he secured his 800th victory. What’s more amazing is that he did it in his 900th game. In his career, he has accumulated 800 wins, 65 losses, and 35 draws. All staggering numbers anyway you look at it.

Dorrance has coached so many players who went on to have fantastic careers at the U.S. senior national team level. To name a few: Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, April Heinrichs, Kristine Lilly, Carla Overbeck, Heather O’Reilly.  This past weekend, his 15th ranked Tar Heels defeated Wake 2-1 to make this historic night an unforgettable one. They improve to 8-2-3 on the season while winning their fourth consecutive game. They face Notre Dame on Friday and look to continue their winning ways.

U.S. U-17 Eliminated from WWC:

In the final group game, the United States faced Japan and lost 3-2. They struggled defensively against the technical and quick Japanese players. At one point in the second half, the USA gave up 2 goals in a span of three minutes. They absolutely collapsed and couldn’t recover from it. One bright spot was 17-year-old captain Ashley Sanchez, who scored both goals for the Americans. She now has 18 goals in 18 appearances for the Youth National Team.

Considering they lost to the defending champions, some could look the other way, but I think this was a glaring failure that leaves me with questions about how the youth systems are operating. I had high expectations for this group. Another exit by a U.S. women’s team in a major tournament. In my opinion, the world has definitely caught up to us, if there was any real doubt about that.

2016 NCAA College Cup Finds New Home:

Over a month ago, the decision to remove all NCAA championships from North Carolina due to the state’s anti-LGBTQA laws was officially announced. This week, we have a new home of many NCAA DI tournaments, more specifically the DI Women’s Soccer final will now be played in San Jose, California at Avaya Stadium, which is the home of MLS side San Jose Earthquakes (holds 18,000). While tradition will be missed for those in NC, this was a much needed change. I fully support this relocation and look forward to seeing what kind of atmosphere fans will bring to San Jose in December.

USC Upsets #1 Stanford:

Coming into this game, Stanford had showcased an impressive amount of quality wins, including Minnesota, Santa Clara, and UCLA. But USC outhustled them in this one, were more aggressive, and simply shut out the number one team in the nation. Maybe Stanford needed to lose this one? You know, to bring them back to earth and figure out what weaknesses they can improve on. They fall to 11-1-1 on the year.

The Trojans came in as the number seven team and riding a ten-game win streak. They put three goals past Stanford. (It should be noted that starting goalkeeper Jane Campbell was out due to suspension for the Cardinals.) Nonetheless, I still had Stanford at least drawing this one. This was another strong win for USC, who have also defeated North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia. The Trojans are now 10-3-1 on the season. They travel to Tempe to square off against Arizona State on Saturday.

Ellis Names USWNT Roster for October Camp:

Jill Ellis has named 24 players to a roster for October camps ahead of two upcoming friendlies against Switzerland. The first will be October 19th at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, while the second is October 23rd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  

Notable players not included are Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Johnston, and Meghan Klingenberg. I don’t want fans to worry. This is just a reminder that we are moving towards new blood for the new cycle, and that means there will be some rotation in the rosters. And that’s a good thing.

It seems the NWSL play is making a real impact. Ellis has called 11 new players in. A variety of familiar names—but only at the club level. Kealia Ohai, Lynn Williams, Danielle Colaprico, Shea Groom, Casey Short, Arin Gilliland, Abby Dahlkemper, and Merritt Mathias are all representatives of the league. Three YNT and/or Collegiate players were chosen as well: BYU standout Ashley Hatch and the Stanford duo of Jane Campbell and Andi Sullivan.

This is the perfect time to bring in new players—a test of the waters really. See what the program has to work with in preparation for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. I know I’m looking forward to these matches and learning who will not only standout but bring something new to the table. Let’s get our fans and federation excited again for the possibilities this team has.

The German Curse

Posted on by RJ Allen

Most people are familiar with the women’s soccer statistic that if a team wins a World Cup one year, they will not win gold at the following Olympics.

But, there’s another trend I’ve found while looking back over old statistics that is both odd and intriguing.

I’m calling it “The German Curse.”

The curse (which is completely real and not conjured up by me yesterday) is based on the fact that if a team beats Germany in a major tournament, the team will not win the following major tournament. Of course, one could chalk this up to coincidence, but since 1991 no team has been able to achieve this feat.

1991 World Cup

USA beats Germany in semifinals:

A hat trick from Carin Jennings sealed the deal for the US’s victory over Germany in the 1991 semifinal match. Germany was outscored 5-2 by team US, who ultimately went on to win the inaugural Women’s World Cup. Though Germany had only conceded one goal throughout the entire tournament, the combination of Jennings, April Heinrichs, and Michelle Akers–a trio better known as the “Triple-Edged Sword”–proved to be too lethal for the German defense.

Sweden beats Germany in the 3rd place game:

After losing to the US, Germany suffered an even worse loss to Sweden in the 3rd place game. The team was shut out by Sweden’s defense and was scored on 4 times; once by Sweden’s current coach, Pia Sundhage. While Sweden seemed only marginally better than Germany on paper, the loss against the US could have drained the energy from the German team. They finished fourth, while Sweden took third.

1995 World Cup

Sweden is beaten by China PR in quarterfinals:

Although they won silver at the Euros in 1995, the Swedish international team was beaten by China PR in the quarterfinals later that year. China had been on a small upswing since making the quarterfinals in the 1991 World Cup, which could have fueled their win against Sweden, but they ultimately went on to lose to Germany and the US, respectively, earning them fourth place.

US is beaten by Norway in semifinals:

In a rematch of the 1991 World Cup, Norway found revenge by defeating the US in the semifinal. The US brought a very similar squad to their history-making 1991 roster, but Norway came prepared and held them to a 1-0 scoreline. USA moved on to defeat China PR and receive 3rd place.

Norway beats Germany to win the 1995 WWC:

Norway continued their domination by leaving Germany scoreless in the final match of the 1995 World Cup. Germany used all three available substitutions (Norway used zero) to try and keep up their pace and break down the Norwegian defense, but they failed to do so and in the end, walked away with 2nd place.

1996 Olympics

Norway loses to US in semifinals:

After defeating Germany in the World Cup the year prior, Norway fell to the US with a score of 2-1 in the semifinals. Norway began the second half of the game with a 1-0 lead, but the US tied the score with a penalty taken by Michelle Akers in the 76th minute. Ultimately, the US won the game with a golden goal in extra time. The US then went on the dominate China PR and win gold. 

Norway beats Germany in the group stage:

Before Norway lost to the US in the semifinals, they defeated Germany 3-2 in the group stages. 1996 was the only year that Germany did not make it out of the group stages. This could be due to them being grouped with dominant teams like Norway, Brazil, and Japan, but nonetheless they finished the group stages 1-1-1 and were eliminated. Shortly after this, their head coach, Gero Bisanz, resigned. And so began a new era for the German team with head coach, Tina Theune, and assistant coach and former player, Silvia Neid.

1999 World Cup

Norway loses to China PR in semifinals:

After dominant Women’s World Cup performances in the early 1990s, Norway was obliterated by China in a 0-5 loss in the semifinals. Norway also went on to lose to Brazil in the third place match. This came to a surprise to many people, as the Norwegian team had been undefeated throughout the group stages and quarterfinals.

USA beats Germany in the WC quarterfinals:

Germany seemed to be gaining ground from the last Olympics, but the US’s 1999 World Cup team proved to be too lethal for the German team to contain. Even one of Germany’s two goals in the quarterfinal match that ended 3-2 was an own goal scored by Brandi Chastain. Eventually, the US went on the win their second Women’s World Cup that year. 

2000 Olympics

USA loses to Norway at the Sydney Olympic games:

The 2000 Olympics kicked off with Norway losing to the US in the first game of the group stage. It seemed that the US was going to take the gold, entering the final match undefeated, but Norway managed to beat the US in extra time with a golden goal still considered questionable by some.

Norway beats Germany in semifinals:

This semifinal match was probably the most heartbreaking for Germany, given that the 1-0 game was determined by an own goal from Tina Wunderlich in the 80th minute. Germany continued on to win the bronze medal and would soon move on to dominate over the next decade. Since these Olympic games, Norway has not placed higher than 4th in a major tournament.

2003 World Cup

Norway is beaten by USA in the quarterfinals:

Norway started the group stage by losing to Brazil 1-4 in the group stage, and then went on to lose to the US in the quarterfinals of the 2003 World Cup thanks to a lone goal from Abby Wambach. Norway had been on a decline since Åge Steen had taken over in 2001 and this was particularly evident during the 2003 World Cup which stands as their worst performance since the 1991 World Cup.

Germany wins first Women’s World Cup:

Germany won their first World Cup in 2003 after a dominant showing against Sweden in the finals. They went undefeated in the tournament with the help of Birgit Prinz, who won the Golden Shoe and Golden Boot for her performance, netting seven goals over the course of play.

2004 Olympics

Germany loses to the USA in the semifinals:

Germany’s fall in the semifinals came from a game winning goal by the US’s Heather O’Reilly in extra time. The Germans had opened up the tournament with an 8-0 win over China PR, but after struggling in their win against Nigeria in the quarterfinals, they ended up being knocked out in the semifinals. The US went on to win  gold.

Germany wins bronze:

Germany eventually went on to win bronze against Sweden, the team they defeated to win the Women’s World Cup just a year previously.

2007 World Cup

USA is beaten out by Brazil in semifinals:

The US opened the tournament with a surprising draw to North Korea, but held on to win their group. Brazil ultimately ended up dominating the US in a 4-0 shut out in the semifinals with a helpful brace from Marta. The US then went on to beat Norway and claim third place.

Germany wins second World Cup:

Brazil’s national team had just begun to heat up at the World Cup, but after the German goalkeeper, Nadine Angerer,  saved a penalty kick taken by Marta, and then two goals from Birgit Prinz and Simone Laudehr in the second half, Brazil lost the finals. Germany walked away with their second consecutive World Cup.

2008 Olympics

Germany loses to Brazil in semifinals:

Germany and Brazil drew in the opening game of their group in a rematch of the World Cup final, but when they faced each other again in the semi-final round, it was Germany who finally fell to Brazil. Germany had gone up 1-0 early with a goal from their recurring standout Birgit Prinz, but soon Formiga, Cristiane (2), and Marta answered and sent Brazil to the gold medal match. Eventually, Brazil lost to a late game-winning goal from the the US’s Carli Lloyd, which earned the South American team a second silver medal. 

With the loss to Brazil, Germany was sent to the bronze medal match where super sub, Fattier Bajramaj, put up two goals in the second half against Japan to claim the bronze medal. 

2011 World Cup

Brazil is beaten by USA in quarterfinals:

In a game that boasted one of the greatest goals in Women’s World Cup History, Brazil was knocked out in a quite dramatic fashion by the US in the quarterfinals. The game had been tied 1-1 by an own goal from Brazil and a pk from Marta. Marta then scored in the 92nd minute of extra time to give Brazil a 2-1 lead, but it was a goal from Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute that led the game into penalties where Brazil was outscored 3-5. The US continued on only to be defeated by Japan in the final game, 3-1, after extra time and penalties.

Germany is beaten by Japan in quarterfinals:

Germany fell to a powerful Japanese team in yet another game that was determined by extra time (four of the final seven games went into extra time that year). This game broke Germany’s sixteen-game undefeated streak in the World Cup. Japan went on the win their first Women’s World Cup.

2012 Olympics

Japan loses gold medal match to USA:

In a rematch of the 2011 World Cup final, Japan and the US battled it out at Wembley Stadium, but this time it was the US, with two goals from Carli Lloyd, who defeated the Japanese team to win gold.

Germany does not qualify for Olympics:

Following the loss to Japan at the World Cup, Germany did not finish as one of the top two UEFA teams at the tournament, and were therefore disqualified from the Olympics.

2015 World Cup

USA beats Germany in semifinals:

After beating France 5-4 in penalties, Germany met the US in the semifinals. In the 63rd minute, Germany was awarded penalty kick, taken and missed by Célia Šašic. After that the US went up on Germany 2-0  when Carli Lloyd made a pk against goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, and Kelley O’Hara netted her first international goal only minutes after being subbed into the game.

England beats Germany in third place match: 

Germany and England battled for third place, with neither team managing to score during regulation time. The Lionesses then beat Germany in extra time from a penalty earned by Lianne Sanderson and converted by Fara Williams. Germany left the 2015 World Cup without a spot on the podium.

2016 Olympics

USA loses to Sweden in quarterfinals:

In their earliest exit ever in a major tournament, the US was knocked out in the quarterfinals to the defensive beast that was Sweden, coached by the very woman who’d led them to gold in 2008 and 2012, Pia Sundhage. Sweden progressed to the gold medal match, but lost to Germany and earned silver.

England does not play in Olympics:

Okay, actually England was kept from the Olympics due to the political disagreements and concerns regarding national identity between the four nations that make up Great Britain’s Olympic committee, but we can still blame that on their win over Germany, right?

Germany wins gold:

The Germans finally found a way to defeat Sweden and take their first Olympic gold medal.

One thing I found very interesting in this trend is that each time a team beats Germany and then falls in the next tournament, the primary cause isn’t always because the team is worse by any particular measure, but because the team they compete against wins in an extraordinary or surprising fashion. Case in point: Norway in the 1999 World Cup vs China PR, USA in the 2000 Olympics vs Norway, USA in the 2007 World Cup vs Brazil, Brazil in the 2011 World Cup vs USA, and USA in the 2016 Olympics vs Sweden. 

So, has the German national team placed some sort of Deutschland hex on any team that defeats them? Probably not. But, if your team beats Germany in a major tournament, don’t expect to win the next one.

Ellis Names NWSL Heavy Roster for Switzerland Friendlies

Posted on by RJ Allen

Jill Ellis, head coach of the USWNT, has named her 24-person roster ahead of friendlies against Switzerland (October 19th at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, and October 23rd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota).

And out of the 24 women called up, 11 players have yet to earn a cap with the senior team:  Jane Campbell, Danielle Colaprico, Lynn Williams, Kealia Ohai, Shea Groom, Andi Sullivan, Ashley Hatch, Casey Short,  Arin Gilliland, Merritt Mathias and Abby Dahlkemper.

18 players will dress for matches, meaning that several of those eleven players will earn their first caps with these matches. 

Notably absent are Meghan Klingenberg (D), Ali Krieger (D), Julie Johnston (D), Megan Rapinoe (M), and Alex Morgan (F). 

A full roster can be seen below. 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash), Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars), Merritt Mathias (Seattle Reign), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)

FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City), Ashley Hatch (BYU), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)

Around the World Of WoSo: NWSL Semis Go Bananas

Posted on by RJ Allen

Washington Advance to NWSL Championship:

The first ladies of professional soccer have finally advanced to the National Women’s Soccer League Championship after beating the Chicago Red Stars over the weekend.

In a cold and rainy game, this was such a great matchup to have on TV for all kinds of fans to see. Casual, extra passionate, and new fans to the league all had the opportunity to tune into FS1 to watch the 2016 NWSL Playoffs get underway.

The crowd on hand was very impressive as well—officially 4,249 fans filled the Plex to see this one. Washington drew first blood late in the first half, courtesy of veteran defender and captain Ali Krieger. The right back used her head to find the back of the net in the play following a Spirit corner kick. And it shouldn’t be forgotten that the service was absolutely PERFECT from fellow defender Shelina Zadorsky. The Spirit controlled the tempo in the first half, having several scoring chances, but the post was busy all night-stopping both teams on more than one occasion. The biggest chance perhaps came from Crystal Dunn minutes into the second half, but her shot was of course denied by the post. Chicago finally found their breakthrough in the 81st minute when Christen Press grabbed the equalizer on a beautiful volley from Casey Short. It seemed to energize them for a short amount of time, actually pressing Washington quite a bit until the end of the game.

Heading into overtime, the Spirit had the momentum despite giving up a late goal in regular time. In the 111th minute, that momentum and hard work paid off as Christine Nairn worked her magic in the midfield to find Francisca Ordega for the game winner. I must say, Nairn played a very solid game, as did Krieger.

They finally advance to the championship game, and it is well deserved after that performance.

WNY Stun Portland in a Seven-Goal Thriller at Providence:

In arguably the toughest place to play in the NWSL, Providence Park is home to the Portland Thorns and 20,000+ fans as backup on any given night. But Western New York didn’t care about the atmosphere, the opponent, or expectations.

They not only went to Portland and won, but they did it in incredible fashion, scoring four goals on a defense that allowed only seven goals at home all year. And The Flash only won on the road three times this season—not exactly a great road team…until now.

The scoring stared early and came often. WNY was led by the 2016 Golden Boot winner, Lynn Williams, who scored twice in the first overtime period (including the game winner) and seemed to be everywhere on the field at once. Samantha Mewis gave WNY the early lead in the 16th minute, and just before half, in the 38th minute, Makenzy Doniak doubled the lead. Although this was certainly unfamiliar territory for Portland this season, those who have followed the team will note that this was the third time in three NWSL semifinal appearances that the Thorns found themselves facing a 0-2 scoreline. But Portland refused to see their season end quietly, and one minute later Christine Sinclair pulled one back off a furious volley to breathe life into the Rose City. In the 78th minute, after a scramble in the box, the Thorns found the equalizer by way of rookie center back Emily Sonnett,  forcing the match into overtime.

Heading into overtime, it was anyone’s game. Ultimately, the speed and physicality of the Flash had took a toll on the Thorns. Overtime was William’s time to shine—she scored twice in the span of six minutes to bury Portland and all their hopes of a championship this season. Portland managed to score one more two minutes later, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

In front of a record playoff crowd of 20,086, WNY stunned plenty of people, myself included. This was sweet redemption for WNY coach Paul Riley, who was in charge of Portland the previous two years, now heading to the final in his first year with WNY—though he won’t be allowed on field, due to the red card he picked up.

The Championship is set for Sunday October 9th, at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Curse of the NWSL Shield:

Four years. Three different Shield winners. Zero championships. That’s enough to constitute a curse, right?

A small sample size, but the numbers and outcomes speak for themselves.

In 2013, the WNY won the first NWSL Shield, then the next two years the Seattle Reign were declared Shield winners, and now in 2016 the Portland Thorns were crowned. All, of course, having high expectations and sights set on a championship for their respective clubs.

But here we are. Another year, another shield winner bowing out in a semifinal or final and coming away with nothing. So it rightly begs the question: Is winning the Shield a curse?

I honestly think it might be a thing. It might be a coincidence or just how it turned out. But let this be a warning to other teams who chase it next year. In this league, a regular season title is a nice accomplishment, but ultimately you want a championship trophy and a star, not some silver platter and a footnote in history. Speaking as a Reign fan, it’s not good enough. It’s not ever satisfying enough. 

So, yes winning the shield is indeed a curse. Now we have to wait another year to see if it can be broken. Thanks, Portland.

NWSL ROTY announced:

The NWSL Rookie of the Year is Raquel Rodriguez.

The Sky Blue midfielder played in 18 games (starting 17), scoring one goal and making one assist. To be honest, I was surprised at this pick. I had a few other candidates in mind that I thought contributed more to their respective teams.

I can’t deny Rodriguez has had a great last calendar year, from winning the College Cup with Penn State, to being a consistent starter in this league, to now winning ROTY. She helped her team compete all year, and although they finished seventh in the table, that doesn’t quite represent how well this team performed.

I look forward to seeing how she further develops in this league and with Sky Blue.

Parsons Grabs Coach of the Year:

While Portland won’t be competing for the championship, they do have a lot to be proud of, including winning the shield, And now their new coach has earned some hardware of his own.

Mark Parsons has rapidly evolved into a winning coach and one that is very well respected across the league. He led the Thorns to a 12-3-5 record and gave them a home-field playoff berth for the first time in club history. Parsons put together a very impressive and diverse squad in just a short amount of time after taking the job. Boasting the likes of Christine Sinclair, Tobin Heath, Amandine Henry, Nadia Nadim and Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, Parsons managed to apply a system that worked for all of these high-profile players.

I think this was well deserved for Parsons, a coach who will only continue to do great things for this league.

BYU Senior Can’t Stop Scoring:

Ashley Hatch has played in 12 games this season and already scored 15 goals with four assists to help her team to a 10-1-1 record.

The senior led her team to a pair of huge wins against Ohio State and defending champion Penn State. Hatch scored a hat trick in the 3-2 win earlier in the season at #5 PSU and grabbed a goal in the win at #19 OSU as well. She netted her THIRD hat trick on the year on Monday as they defeated USF handily 4-0. I approve of her new nickname of Hatchtrick.

It’s fitting and well deserved. BYU faces Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine this week. Can Hatch continue her scoring ways?

Whitney Engen’s Time Over with the National Team

Posted on by RJ Allen

Today on Twitter Whitney Engen reveled that her time with the United States women’s national team has come to a close.

After 5 years, 40 caps and 4 goals, Head Coach Jill Ellis has informed Engen that she is “no longer in her future plans”.

The World Cup winning centerback currently plays for the Boston Breakers and joined the USWNT in Rio on the Olympic roster. The end of her statement implies that next season is an uncertainty in both where she would play and if she would play club soccer.

The full statement can be read below.

 

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Josh Brunais will Act as Honorary Captain for the Spirit Friday Night

Posted on by RJ Allen
The Washington Spirit announced this morning that US Paralympic Flag Bearer Josh Brunais will act as Honorary Captain for their Friday night semifinal match against the Chicago Red Stars.
The midfielder, a native of Stafford, Virginia, competed for the US Paralympic National Team in 7-a-side soccer, which finished 7th over-all in the tournament, and was elected to carry the flag during the Closing Ceremonies by his fellow Team USA members. Brunais is also a veteran of the US Army, serving overseas with the 75th Ranger regiment, for which he received the Soldier’s Medal for distinguished heroism after saving the lives of fourteen servicemembers whose helicopter had crashed and caught fire. Having served through six overseas tours, Brunais retired from service in 2015 after sustaining wounds from an IED explosion that he believed would affect his ability to keep his men safe.
 
It was soccer that helped Brunais adjust to life after the Army, after the Rangers, and the Veterans soccer team he joined helped to give him the purpose and the team he missed from his time in the military. And so it is fitting that on Friday night, he will be celebrated on the soccer field, joining the captains in the center circle for the coin toss in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd.

Around the World of WoSo: FAWSL Winners and College Soccer

Posted on by RJ Allen

FSU & UVA couldn’t beat the elements:

  In a top three showdown between Florida State (2) and University of Virginia (3), I expected goals and plenty of highlight reel material. Both teams did manage a goal, but the game was called in the 100th minute due to excessive lightening. This ACC matchup gave us an early goal by way of Alexis Shaffer in the ninth minute to give UVA the lead. The Cavaliers held the lead for the next 59 minutes until FSU took advantage of a turnover which led to 1v1 opportunity for Freshman Kristen McFarland. She calmly found the back of the net after shaking off the UVA keeper to salvage the draw. The Seminoles travel to Pitt on Saturday and UVA host North Carolina on ESPNU on Sunday.

South Carolina notches 10th consecutive win:

The Gamecocks are playing some serious team ball right now, evidence of that came Sunday when they earned their 10th straight victory. With second half goals from Sophie Groff, Kaleigh Kurtz and Lindsey Lane, South Carolina cruised past Kentucky. The eighth ranked Gamecocks only allowed two shots from the Wildcats, clearly putting extra work on the defensive end to ensure a win. It was also the sixth shutout on the year, matching last season’s total in just 11 games. Looking to remain undefeated, up next for them is a powerhouse SEC matchup against Texas A & M on Thursday night at College Station. As for Kentucky, they ended what was a tough week, adding on a loss to Missouri a few days ago and a less than impressive 1-1 draw with Alabama earlier in the week. They hope to rebound on Saturday at home against Ole Miss.

Nebraska hat-trick defeats Ohio State:

    Nebraska Senior Jaycie Johnson scored three goals (29, 37’, 60’) to lead her team to its eighth win on the season. This was her second hat trick of her career, and the first since 2013. Johnson now leads the team with seven goals, all coming in the last six games. Her last goal on the night was special, as it was her 38th of her career, putting her eighth in program history. It should be noted that Ohio State was without starting Goalkeeper Jillian McVicker, who suffered an injury over a week ago. The Buckeyes drop to 7-4-1, slowing down considerably after starting the season with six wins in a row. Nebraska faces off with Indiana Friday while Ohio State hosts Northwestern on Saturday.

NWSL playoffs are set:

Heading into the final regular season games on Sunday, the 2016 National Women’s Soccer League playoffs were already a lock. Washington, Portland, Chicago and Western New York all made the cut. Washington have made the playoffs three consecutive years while Portland has won the championship (2013) and last made the playoffs in 2014. Meanwhile Chicago made history last season when they secured their first ever trip to the playoffs; they are back once again in hopes of winning its first ever title. Western New York started off the franchise strong, meeting Portland in the Finals in 2013, but since then, hasn’t finished better than seventh. All that changed this season as they finished fourth to grab the last playoff spot by winning their last regular season game against Boston. Certainly each team has strong leadership; Ali Krieger for Washington, Tobin Heath for Portland, Christen Press for Chicago and Jessica McDonald for WNY. The first semifinal is set for Friday, September 30th. The second semifinal is Sunday, October 2nd.

Lianne Sanderson done for the year:

The England international and WNY midfielder will miss the playoffs after tearing her ACL in a friendly against Thailand last week with the Flash. After being acquired from Orlando late in the season, she appeared in nine games for WNY, scoring three goals and contributing to an already bolstered attack led my McDonald, Lynn Williams and Samantha Mewis. Sanderson only lasted 13 minutes before suffering the injury to her right knee. The 28 year old has played for a handful of clubs throughout her career, finding some form of success at each. After this kind of injury, it will be interesting to see what happens next.

FAWSL champions crowned:

For the first time in program history, Manchester City Women are champions of England. After beating rivals Chelsea on Sunday on two goals, the title officially belongs to the women of Manchester, even with two games to play. With a record crowd of 4,096 on hand at Academy Stadium, it proved to be a worthwhile matchup. The first goal came by way of veteran Jill Scott, tallying her third goal of the season. The title-clinching goal in the 49th minute was scored by Toni Duggan on a Penalty given from a foul on teammate Lucy Bronze. It was Duggan’s fifth goal in her 15th appearance. After the match, the team received congratulatory wishes from the Manchester City men’s side, from players like Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne. I think it has shown that in just a few short years, Manchester Women have built something special and are deservingly being recognized for it.